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Translink fare hike despite fuel price drop
Friday, 24 April 2009
Calls have been made for Translink to justify a hike in bus and train fares set to be introduced in Northern Ireland next month despite falling fuel prices.
The company said that NI Railways fares would be increased from May 4 by an average of 3%, while Ulsterbus and Goldline fares were going up by 2%.
Cash fares on Metro are to go up by 10p per journey, but the price of Metro Smartlink multi-journey cards is being pegged.
The company said that Smartlink advance purchase tickets offered savings of 40p per journey.
Fares on cross-border services are subject to an even heftier hike — with Enterprise tickets costing 10% more and coach journeys set to go up by 13%.
On Ulsterbus, the minimum fare and the three lowest fares are all going up by 10p, but the maximum single fare remains at £10, while the maximum day return fare is fixed at £15.
A Translink spokesperson said: “Discussions are ongoing regarding the revision of Translink fares.”
However Green Party MLA Brian Wilson hit out at the price hike.
“In the past year fuel costs have significantly fallen and there can be no justification for a hike in prices at this time,” he said.
“We should be encouraging passengers to use public transport by keeping prices competitive. I would call on Translink to justify this increase.”
The Northern Ireland Consumer Council said they had been informed about the increases but not consulted on the price hikes.
The fares announcement is a blow to consumers, which came 24 hours after the Budget, in which fuel duty was increased.
Last August Translink raised its fares on the Metro service. It increased by 6.4%, while Ulsterbus and NIR fares were increased by 5% and 4.2% respectively.
In real terms that meant a 10p hike on the current cost of Metro and Smartlink Multi-Journey tickets, while Ulsterbus and NIR users were hit by a maximum rise of 50p on single fares. At the time, the company blamed the increase on rising fuel costs, but failed to bring them down when fuel costs eased.
On foot of a Freedom of Information request, the company told the Belfast Telegraph that it should, in time, benefit from falling international fuel prices.
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It's shameful in this day and age that this company can still continue to operate in such a fashion.
Posted by Fed up commuter | 25.04.09, 16:26 GMT
bus fares up again? imagine that, i think this is an absolute JOKE!!! currently the price of an inner city metro bus (shankill road to city centre) is £1.50 and its goin up another 10p!!!! thats £1.60 per fare, even tho the shankill road to city centre is no more than 1.8 miles!!! we would all be aswell using a private taxi!!! i personally will not be using buses to and from work if the prices are hiked up again!!! maybe customers would be slightly happier if the buses were ever on time, or got service with a smile!!!
at least dick turpin wore a mask!!!
Posted by ragin | 24.04.09, 22:46 GMT
Translink is top heavy with management, mostly inefficient, and a Chief Executive paid more than the Prime Minister of the UK. Out of peak period the trains and buses are nearly empty. Total madness to put our fares up now. But I guess someone has to pay for all those managerial salaries. And why are quite so many managers needed anyway?
Posted by Bergman | 24.04.09, 17:09 GMT
As well as increased fares, Translink may also cancel the 246 Limavady to Belfast Goldline Service from 4 May but as yet has failed to officially notify passengers. At the minute the only info released on this regard is through rumour and the grapevine. Again it is rumoured a connection service will be provided to join the Maiden City Flyer but with traffic delays and unreliable service passengers are inevitably going to be stranded in Dungiven with no way home! Come on Translink show your passengers some semblence of respect and give reasonable notice to your loyal customers, who lets be honest, have no other alternative.
Increased cost and reduced service - something only a monopoly could provide.
Posted by Limavady Traveller | 24.04.09, 13:11 GMT
I think Translink should be sold off. We need a proper integrated transport system. In Lisburn we now have a £30m bus station with no town bus stops. Everyone who wants a bus has to walk to the station. Large parts of the town have no bus service at all especially those living a mile away from Sprucefield.
What we need is circulating feeder buses going to Sprucefild along Hillsborough Old Road connecting to the railway station, and to Hillsborough. Its a poor effort at the moment. try getting to an airport by bus!
Posted by BUSSEDOFF | 24.04.09, 12:26 GMT
The situation in Northern Ireland with regard to public transport is farcical. The fact that one company holds a monopoly on all bus and rail across NI means there is no competition in the market and so they can fix their extortionate fares to whatever levels they please. In most english cities there are at least 5 or 6 different bus companies (and nationally a couple of rail companies) ensuring very competitve rates (and thus there is a much higher percentage of public transport users). The fact that we are living in economically difficult times and also one in which Governments are trying to reduce Global Carbon output by getting car users to opt for public transport alternatives also seems to have escaped Translink. By hiking their prices during their credit crunch they are hardly enticing car users are they The sooner other bus and rail companies compete are allowed to compete on the NI market the better.
Posted by Andrew | 24.04.09, 10:27 GMT